Assistive Technology Products

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Articles and Blogs

These articles and blogs feature people using accessible technology to realize their full potential, and highlight developing products, technology, and policy issues impacting people with disabilities.

Surface Pro and Xbox One Help Washington Man Overcome a Life-changing Injury
After Tyler Schrenk was paralyzed from the neck down in an accident, connections many of us take for granted—email, online news websites, Facebook, and other social media—became far more difficult to maintain. Now, a Microsoft Surface Pro is helping Schrenk reconnect, start a new career, and pursue his dreams.
(July 2014)

Dasher Software Remains an Amazing Alternative to Traditional On-Screen Keyboard
Erin Beneteau, a senior learning and development strategist for accessibility at Microsoft, reflects on the development of Dasher, the on-screen keyboard software she was introduced to 17 years ago. “Dasher remains a truly innovative way of thinking about typing and accessibility—a word-prediction program unlike any other I’ve ever seen,” she says.
(June 2014)

Meet Ryan Asdourian: Microsoft Promoter; Seahawks Mascot; and MS Ambassador
yan Asdourian travels the world promoting Microsoft products in high-tech demonstrations. When he is back in Seattle he puts on a different type of show as the Seahawks mascot Blitz. And, five years ago, the busy tech showman decided to take a third job—becoming an ambassador to raise awareness of Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
(May 2014)

Assistive Technology Helps Workers with Dyslexia on the Job
In this Microsoft Accessibility blog, Erin Beneteau, a senior learning and development strategist for accessibility at Microsoft, talks about her experiences helping two people with dyslexia find the tools they needed to succeed in the workplace.
(April 2014)

Innovation Isn’t Just for the Young, it’s for Everyone, European Leader Says
“Aging isn't a problem, but a source of innovation and growth. It's not just an expanding cost to be cut, but a growing market opportunity to be served. We shouldn't protect powers and practices, but must come together to share, and see how we can do things differently,” says Neelie Kroes, chief of the European Commission’s digital agenda in this Microsoft Accessibility blog.
(April 2014)

Researcher Sees Accessibility Becoming an Integrated Part of Technology Design
Sara Hendren is a researcher and artist who works in the area of design, accessibility, adaptive and assistive technologies, prosthetics, and cultural and political representations of disability. When she looks at smartphones, laptops, and tablets she sees how these tools assist users. She also doesn’t see the difference between those devices and what has traditionally been known as assistive technology designed for users with disabilities.
(March 2014)

Europe’s New Accessibility Procurement Standard Can Be a Model for the World
Laura Rudy, Director of Accessibility Policy and Standards at Microsoft, says that, after years of study and deliberation, European standards bodies have released technical requirements for public procurement of information and communication technology (ICT) that can be a model for governments and organizations around the world on how to evaluate accessibility when buying information technology.
(March 2014)

The Power of Technology Is Expanding the Use of Memory-Assisting Tools
Erin Beneteau, a senior learning and development strategist for accessibility at Microsoft, uses examples from her own life in illustrating how apps that help her manage her daily life can also assist people with memory impairments. “The key is to ensure these apps have interfaces that are easy to use, navigate, and access—then they can truly change lives,” she says.
(March 2014)

The Cloud Can Support a New Generation of Accessible Technologies
The cloud serves as a virtual glue that connects a user's devices, says Rob Sinclair, Microsoft Chief Accessibility Officer, in this Microsoft Accessibility blog. It can hold preferences and settings, including accessibility tools, and allows features to follow a user from device to device. Tomorrow, the cloud will support an even larger universe of accessibility services that will create a more inclusive society.
(March 2014)

Industry Standards at Work: Improving Closed Captioning of Internet Video
Eight years ago, five companies saw the future of video. Microsoft, Yahoo, AOL, Google, and WGBH realized television shows and movies increasingly will be delivered on the Internet and understood that industry approaches to closed captions on television were not compatible with the Internet. So, the companies formed the Internet Captioning Forum to work on solutions.
(February 2014)

Microsoft Asks People to "Do 1 Thing"
Ellen Kampel, Public Relations Manager for Accessibility at Microsoft discusses addressing online risks and how education and diligence are key to help ensure safer digital experiences.
(February 2014)